Monarch Blog » A320http://blog.monarch.co.uk
Monarch Airlines Official BlogFri, 31 Jul 2015 10:34:14 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.2Testing new aircraft to their limits – the exciting role of a technical pilothttp://blog.monarch.co.uk/testing-new-aircraft-to-their-limits-the-exciting-role-of-a-technical-pilot/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/testing-new-aircraft-to-their-limits-the-exciting-role-of-a-technical-pilot/#commentsThu, 04 Jun 2015 14:52:45 +0000http://blog.monarch.co.uk/?p=8997One pilot is much the same as another, right? Wrong! Actually, there are lots of different roles within the pilot community at Monarch Airlines. Today we meet Monarch pilot Captain James McCarter, who reveals how he flies new aircraft to their limits, and what he considers the most exciting part of his role. How long have you been working at Monarch? I joined Monarch in November 2007. Which aircraft are you type rated (licensed) to fly? A320/A321 Where does your passion for flying come from? I have always wanted to fly since I can remember. Nothing else would do! A Monarch Boeing 757 took me on my first every summer holiday to Sardinia. What does a technical pilot do? The technical pilot’s role is to support the fleet manager. Our main role is to amend and update the A320 Flight Operations Documentation. We attend Airbus flight operations regional seminars to discuss the latest Airbus topics affecting flight operations. Personally I represent Monarch as a member of the UK Flight Operations Liaison Group. By working with other UK operators and the CAA we aim promote standardisation and discuss current technical and safety concerns that affect commercial airlines. How do you describe your role to friends and family? To be honest, I don’t. I just end up confusing people. My dad can’t work out if I’m still a pilot or not! What would your typical working day look like? As a line Captain I am based out of Manchester. When I am on tech pilot duty for the week I spend the week in Luton. I generally spend one week a month in Luton. When I get to the office in the morning I check the Headline Status Report sent out by to the operations department that details any potential problems for the day ahead. In what way does your role differ from that of the ‘standard’ pilot’s role? The work we do directly affects all the pilots and how they operate the aircraft. I definitely have two roles at Monarch. One day I have my Captain’s hat on flying to Tenerife and the next I am giving a presentation to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The ‘standard’ pilot – or line pilot – doesn’t have this juggling of responsibilities. What’s the most exciting part of the job for you? The fun part of the job is when we get to go to Toulouse or Hamburg to perform acceptance and delivery flights on new aircraft entering the fleet. The acceptance flight involves flying with an Airbus test pilot and performing manoeuvres that line pilots would normally not carry out, especially with passengers onboard. The goal is to demonstrate the aircraft systems, flight characteristics and protections of the aircraft. Just recently Monarch took delivery of our newest A320, registered G-ZBAS and I was lucky enough to deliver the aircraft from Toulouse. What kind of manoeuvres do you perform? On an aircraft acceptance flight there are three people on the flight deck: A flight test engineer who runs the flight, an Airbus test pilot and myself representing Monarch. The aim of the flight is for Airbus to demonstrate to the airline that the aircraft is fit for revenue service – a bit like a test drive in your new Ferrari. When testing the aircraft systems it is just making sure that they operate as advertised. For example, the landing gear will extend and retract within certain time tolerances. Another test involves depressurising the cabin to ensure the passenger oxygen masks automatically drop when the cabin altitude exceeds 14,000ft. The flight manoeuvres are well outside the normal limits that normal line pilots will operate to. Normal operations would involve a maximum bank angle of 30 degrees with the autopilot engaged. The bank angle is when you turn an aeroplane and it rolls – it’s the angle that you roll it to – and in normal operations you’d never tilt more than 30 degrees. During the test we go to the maximum of 67 degrees in manual flight, whereby the aircraft prevents us going any further. We also demonstrate the A320s high angle of attack protection. We fly the aircraft as slowly as possible and allow the aircraft’s flight control computers to recover the aircraft to the normal flight envelope. The normal flight envelope is all the normal flight parametres for normal operation of the aircraft, which includes speed, pitch (nose up or nose down), and bank angle (rolling or leaning left or right). What happens is the Airbus aircraft’s inbuilt safety protections prevent the pilot from going outside the normal limits of operation – we’re testing that they’re working. Airbus ‘fly by wire’ aircraft allow us to have these protections. What did you study to become a pilot? I studied Aerospace Engineering at the University of Manchester. I started my flight training in the University Air Squadron. After University I continued my training at CTC aviation training where I did most of my training in New Zealand. What is your favourite Monarch destination to fly to? Tenerife because I love cycling, however, Tenerife South airport can be quite challenging because of the wind effects caused by the volcano. This makes it more fun as a pilot to land there.

]]>One pilot is much the same as another, right? Wrong! Actually, there are lots of different roles within the pilot community at Monarch Airlines. Today we meet Monarch pilot Captain James McCarter, who reveals how he flies new aircraft to their limits, and what he considers the most exciting part of his role.

How long have you been working at Monarch?
I joined Monarch in November 2007.

Which aircraft are you type rated (licensed) to fly?
A320/A321

Where does your passion for flying come from?
I have always wanted to fly since I can remember. Nothing else would do! A Monarch Boeing 757 took me on my first every summer holiday to Sardinia.

What does a technical pilot do?
The technical pilot’s role is to support the fleet manager. Our main role is to amend and update the A320 Flight Operations Documentation. We attend Airbus flight operations regional seminars to discuss the latest Airbus topics affecting flight operations. Personally I represent Monarch as a member of the UK Flight Operations Liaison Group. By working with other UK operators and the CAA we aim promote standardisation and discuss current technical and safety concerns that affect commercial airlines.

How do you describe your role to friends and family?
To be honest, I don’t. I just end up confusing people. My dad can’t work out if I’m still a pilot or not!

What would your typical working day look like?
As a line Captain I am based out of Manchester. When I am on tech pilot duty for the week I spend the week in Luton. I generally spend one week a month in Luton. When I get to the office in the morning I check the Headline Status Report sent out by to the operations department that details any potential problems for the day ahead.

In what way does your role differ from that of the ‘standard’ pilot’s role?The work we do directly affects all the pilots and how they operate the aircraft. I definitely have two roles at Monarch. One day I have my Captain’s hat on flying to Tenerife and the next I am giving a presentation to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The ‘standard’ pilot – or line pilot – doesn’t have this juggling of responsibilities.

What’s the most exciting part of the job for you?
The fun part of the job is when we get to go to Toulouse or Hamburg to perform acceptance and delivery flights on new aircraft entering the fleet. The acceptance flight involves flying with an Airbus test pilot and performing manoeuvres that line pilots would normally not carry out, especially with passengers onboard. The goal is to demonstrate the aircraft systems, flight characteristics and protections of the aircraft. Just recently Monarch took delivery of our newest A320, registered G-ZBAS and I was lucky enough to deliver the aircraft from Toulouse.

What kind of manoeuvres do you perform?
On an aircraft acceptance flight there are three people on the flight deck: A flight test engineer who runs the flight, an Airbus test pilot and myself representing Monarch. The aim of the flight is for Airbus to demonstrate to the airline that the aircraft is fit for revenue service – a bit like a test drive in your new Ferrari. When testing the aircraft systems it is just making sure that they operate as advertised. For example, the landing gear will extend and retract within certain time tolerances. Another test involves depressurising the cabin to ensure the passenger oxygen masks automatically drop when the cabin altitude exceeds 14,000ft.

The flight manoeuvres are well outside the normal limits that normal line pilots will operate to. Normal operations would involve a maximum bank angle of 30 degrees with the autopilot engaged. The bank angle is when you turn an aeroplane and it rolls – it’s the angle that you roll it to – and in normal operations you’d never tilt more than 30 degrees. During the test we go to the maximum of 67 degrees in manual flight, whereby the aircraft prevents us going any further.

We also demonstrate the A320s high angle of attack protection. We fly the aircraft as slowly as possible and allow the aircraft’s flight control computers to recover the aircraft to the normal flight envelope. The normal flight envelope is all the normal flight parametres for normal operation of the aircraft, which includes speed, pitch (nose up or nose down), and bank angle (rolling or leaning left or right). What happens is the Airbus aircraft’s inbuilt safety protections prevent the pilot from going outside the normal limits of operation – we’re testing that they’re working. Airbus ‘fly by wire’ aircraft allow us to have these protections.

What did you study to become a pilot?
I studied Aerospace Engineering at the University of Manchester. I started my flight training in the University Air Squadron. After University I continued my training at CTC aviation training where I did most of my training in New Zealand.

What is your favourite Monarch destination to fly to?
Tenerife because I love cycling, however, Tenerife South airport can be quite challenging because of the wind effects caused by the volcano. This makes it more fun as a pilot to land there.

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/testing-new-aircraft-to-their-limits-the-exciting-role-of-a-technical-pilot/feed/3Hello, this is your First Officer Speaking: Introducing Oliver Delamont, pilot bloggerhttp://blog.monarch.co.uk/hello-this-is-your-first-officer-speaking-introducing-oliver-delamont-pilot-blogger/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/hello-this-is-your-first-officer-speaking-introducing-oliver-delamont-pilot-blogger/#commentsTue, 12 May 2015 10:42:03 +0000http://blog.monarch.co.uk/?p=8849Hello, I’m First Officer Oliver Delamont. I’m a pilot on the Airbus A320 and A321 and have been with Monarch Airlines since April 2014. Firstly a huge welcome to anyone taking the time to read this introductory blog, and I hope you find my upcoming articles insightful and useful. Along with my fellow pilot colleague Captain Nigel Webster, I look forward to answering your questions about flying and aviation over the coming few months. My earliest memories of flying begun when I was seven. Being taken to Manchester and Birmingham airports by my father to watch the planes taking off and landing. I was hooked from that moment. Some twenty years later, I look towards the viewing platform or perimeter fences from the flight deck to remind myself of how far I have come. An average flying day, with Monarch, requires me to report to the crew room an hour and fifteen minutes prior to departure time. Broadly speaking, on arrival at work I will print off the flight plans together with relevant documents required. Then between the Captain and I we will discuss the details of the flight, agree on a fuel figure and who is going to operate the outbound sector (UK base to destination) and inbound sector (destination to UK base) . On arrival at the aircraft, each pilot has their individual duties to perform, depending on who is flying that sector. For the pilot flying this includes primarily cockpit preparation, various checks on the aircraft systems and inserting the route into the Flight Management Guidance Computers. During the cruise the flight deck are monitoring the flights progress, aircraft systems, communicating with ATC and conducting passenger announcements. It is generally the least busy period of the whole flight, which, with most of our destinations does provide time for the odd cup of tea and some sustenance. On arrival at the destination the pilots will normally swap duties and prepare the aircraft for the return journey. Monarch, is on the smaller side, relative to the size of other national airlines on the public’s radar. However I consider this as something of an advantage, when it comes to the flight deck community. Good working relationships are built quickly due to regularly flying with familiar faces. This can really contribute to a pleasurable day at work and makes getting out of bed at 0400 in the morning just that little bit easier. No two days are the same with a career in aviation. As pilots we may fly to the same destinations many times but the aircraft is likely to be different, the routing isn’t necessarily the same, different crew will be on board and often weather can present its challenges. So there are many variables in the equation and this keeps things interesting. When describing my role to friends and family there are a number of things which they sometimes find striking. Perhaps the most recent is, automation, that is the aircraft’s autopilots. These play a role in any pilots day, however all take offs and 99% of landings are still performed manually. While being the most critical phases of flight, they undoubtedly are the most exhilarating. As I write, I have returned from a flight to Hurghada today, the longest distance flight Monarch operates. We left temperatures of 4°C in the UK and arrived to 39°C in Egypt. We had a spectacular view of the pyramids in Cairo, flew over some very wintery looking Alps and arrived back in the UK as the sun was setting on a cloudless sky. Not a bad day in the office overall I’d say. We’ve received a lot of questions on Monarch’s Facebook and Twitter accounts asking about the training and recruitment process for pilots, so that will be the subject of my next article. Please let me know in the comments if you have any other burning questions you’d like me to answer in upcoming articles!

]]>Hello, I’m First Officer Oliver Delamont. I’m a pilot on the Airbus A320 and A321 and have been with Monarch Airlines since April 2014.

Firstly a huge welcome to anyone taking the time to read this introductory blog, and I hope you find my upcoming articles insightful and useful. Along with my fellow pilot colleague Captain Nigel Webster, I look forward to answering your questions about flying and aviation over the coming few months.

My earliest memories of flying begun when I was seven. Being taken to Manchester and Birmingham airports by my father to watch the planes taking off and landing. I was hooked from that moment. Some twenty years later, I look towards the viewing platform or perimeter fences from the flight deck to remind myself of how far I have come.

An average flying day, with Monarch, requires me to report to the crew room an hour and fifteen minutes prior to departure time. Broadly speaking, on arrival at work I will print off the flight plans together with relevant documents required. Then between the Captain and I we will discuss the details of the flight, agree on a fuel figure and who is going to operate the outbound sector (UK base to destination) and inbound sector (destination to UK base) .

On arrival at the aircraft, each pilot has their individual duties to perform, depending on who is flying that sector. For the pilot flying this includes primarily cockpit preparation, various checks on the aircraft systems and inserting the route into the Flight Management Guidance Computers.

During the cruise the flight deck are monitoring the flights progress, aircraft systems,
communicating with ATC and conducting passenger announcements. It is generally the least busy period of the whole flight, which, with most of our destinations does provide time for the odd cup of tea and some sustenance.

On arrival at the destination the pilots will normally swap duties and prepare the aircraft for the return journey. Monarch, is on the smaller side, relative to the size of other national airlines on the public’s radar. However I consider this as something of an advantage, when it comes to the flight deck community. Good working relationships are built quickly due to regularly flying with familiar faces.

This can really contribute to a pleasurable day at work and makes getting out of bed at 0400 in the morning just that little bit easier. No two days are the same with a career in aviation. As pilots we may fly to the same destinations many times but the aircraft is likely to be different, the routing isn’t necessarily the same, different crew will be on board and often weather can present its challenges. So there are many variables in the equation and this keeps things interesting.

When describing my role to friends and family there are a number of things which they sometimes find striking. Perhaps the most recent is, automation, that is the aircraft’s autopilots. These play a role in any pilots day, however all take offs and 99% of landings are still performed manually. While being the most critical phases of flight, they undoubtedly are the most exhilarating.

As I write, I have returned from a flight to Hurghada today, the longest distance flight Monarch operates. We left temperatures of 4°C in the UK and arrived to 39°C in Egypt. We had a spectacular view of the pyramids in Cairo, flew over some very wintery looking Alps and arrived back in the UK as the sun was setting on a cloudless sky. Not a bad day in the office overall I’d say.

We’ve received a lot of questions on Monarch’s Facebook and Twitter accounts asking about the training and recruitment process for pilots, so that will be the subject of my next article. Please let me know in the comments if you have any other burning questions you’d like me to answer in upcoming articles!

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/hello-this-is-your-first-officer-speaking-introducing-oliver-delamont-pilot-blogger/feed/10This is your Captain speaking – Introducing pilot blogger Nigel Websterhttp://blog.monarch.co.uk/this-is-your-captain-speaking-introducing-pilot-blogger-nigel-webster/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/this-is-your-captain-speaking-introducing-pilot-blogger-nigel-webster/#commentsFri, 01 May 2015 08:17:16 +0000http://blog.monarch.co.uk/?p=8701Hello – my name is Nigel Webster. In the coming months I and several more of my pilot colleagues are going to be writing about our thoughts and experiences at Monarch, and we hope you find it interesting. Please feel free to share your questions in the comments below. I have been based at Gatwick as a Captain on the Airbus A330/321/320 aircraft family – although by the time you read this the A330 will have left our fleet, and I will fly just the A321/320 from Luton. I am starting my 29th year with Monarch, and have also flown our Boeing 737 and Airbus A300-600s. I suspect I was born with aviation fuel in my blood. From my childhood in the Middle East to the present day I have always been in and around aircraft – I think I have flown during every single year of my life! I went more or less directly from school to pilot training at the British Airways college at Hamble – the selection process was gruelling, and the course was the two hardest years’ work of my life, before or since. But the training was free, and as long as we could survive the selection and the course there was the prospect of a well-paid, permanent job with the state airline. Today’s trainee would need at least £100,000 to self-fund their training. On graduation in the 1975 recession BA laid us all off, so I flew elderly DH Doves on air survey flights, mainly back in the Middle East. After nine years on turboprops in the UK I joined Monarch in 1987, as a B737 First Officer. In other words I have always been a pilot – I’ve never had a ‘proper’ job, as my neighbours have frequently remarked! One of the best things about Monarch has been the variety. No sooner had I settled in to flying the B737 on charter flights around Europe, than we found ourselves dispatched at short notice to crew a new short-haul scheduled airline, set up by Lufthansa in Cold War West Berlin! This required us to fly our B737s at 10000ft – sometimes lower – across East Germany, along the air corridors that linked beleaguered West Berlin, stranded in the middle of the Soviet empire, with the West. I was promoted to Captain in 1989 – the year the Berlin Wall fell, and I was privileged to be there to experience it all. We also found time that year to go to Guatemala, flying B737s mainly to Los Angeles and New Orleans. In 1992 I moved to the wide-body A300, flying charter throughout Europe, and increasingly on long-haul flights. We ranged throughout the USA and the Caribbean, as well as Africa, India and the Middle and Far East. In 2002 I joined the Airbus ‘Fly By Wire’ (FBW) fleet on the A321/320, a year later converting to the long range, wide-body A330 whilst still flying the A321/320 on short-haul. This took me even further afield, including in recent times, three month detachments to Indonesia, flying pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on the Haj. Long-haul charter can be hard work – time changes, flights of up to 12 hours and few or no local support staff. The crew then have to improvise and support each other to make the flying programme work. Whilst far from home I have been at times a flight planner, baggage loader, marshaller, diplomat, and issuer of thinly-disguised threats to local officialdom in order to keep our flying programme running. I know of no other airline in modern times where pilots have had such authority to act on our own initiative to make things work: it has occasionally been exhausting, but always immensely satisfying. (On the other hand, long flight times mean overnight stops, frequently several days at a time, enabling me to pursue my love of water sports – so I can’t pretend it was all hard work…) After 29 years, I am by no means our longest serving pilot or cabin crew member: one of my Gatwick cabin crew friends has just celebrated 34 years with Monarch. This is unusual amongst UK airlines – I think it is the mix of a relatively small company, where we all know each other and have many friends, combined with the adventurous flying we have experienced together, both around Europe and worldwide. In some pretty obscure parts of the world – Yemen, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Burkino Faso (I didn’t know where it was either until I went there) – we have supported each other both professionally and socially, and have become a close-knit family. Why move on when you work like that? Being a family, we do have our own language – no doubt other airlines do too: Gash bag. Bullet. Klingon. Plonker kit. Airport surprise. Hot bit. When you next fly with us, ask our cabin crew what they mean! Tastes, and times, have changed though, and charter markets have shrunk to the point where they are hardly viable. Charter has given way to scheduled, short-haul routes, and we now bring our skills, enthusiasm and previous experience to bear in refining our scheduled service, and our punctuality. For us older, longer-serving pilots our world is now a bit smaller, but remains challenging and satisfying – particularly when we all pull together to make everything run smoothly. Throughout my time with Monarch I have found that my pattern of work changes radically every couple of years – it certainly keeps me interested, and this is just another such change. After 40 years as a pilot, the bulk of it with Monarch, and 21,500 flying hours, I still look forward to coming to work. My next piece will be on the subject of turbulence – what causes it, and how it affects us (and you). I’d welcome any of your questions on the subject – you can share them in the comments below. I know turbulence can cause a lot of nervousness among passengers, so I’m hoping I can demystify it for you and remove some of the fear factor. In the meantime, please return to your seats and fasten your seat belts…!

]]>Hello – my name is Nigel Webster. In the coming months I and several more of my pilot colleagues are going to be writing about our thoughts and experiences at Monarch, and we hope you find it interesting. Please feel free to share your questions in the comments below.

I have been based at Gatwick as a Captain on the Airbus A330/321/320 aircraft family – although by the time you read this the A330 will have left our fleet, and I will fly just the A321/320 from Luton. I am starting my 29th year with Monarch, and have also flown our Boeing 737 and Airbus A300-600s. I suspect I was born with aviation fuel in my blood. From my childhood in the Middle East to the present day I have always been in and around aircraft – I think I have flown during every single year of my life!

I went more or less directly from school to pilot training at the British Airways college at Hamble – the selection process was gruelling, and the course was the two hardest years’ work of my life, before or since. But the training was free, and as long as we could survive the selection and the course there was the prospect of a well-paid, permanent job with the state airline. Today’s trainee would need at least £100,000 to self-fund their training.

On graduation in the 1975 recession BA laid us all off, so I flew elderly DH Doves on air survey flights, mainly back in the Middle East. After nine years on turboprops in the UK I joined Monarch in 1987, as a B737 First Officer. In other words I have always been a pilot – I’ve never had a ‘proper’ job, as my neighbours have frequently remarked!

One of the best things about Monarch has been the variety. No sooner had I settled in to flying the B737 on charter flights around Europe, than we found ourselves dispatched at short notice to crew a new short-haul scheduled airline, set up by Lufthansa in Cold War West Berlin! This required us to fly our B737s at 10000ft – sometimes lower – across East Germany, along the air corridors that linked beleaguered West Berlin, stranded in the middle of the Soviet empire, with the West. I was promoted to Captain in 1989 – the year the Berlin Wall fell, and I was privileged to be there to experience it all. We also found time that year to go to Guatemala, flying B737s mainly to Los Angeles and New Orleans.

In 1992 I moved to the wide-body A300, flying charter throughout Europe, and increasingly on long-haul flights. We ranged throughout the USA and the Caribbean, as well as Africa, India and the Middle and Far East. In 2002 I joined the Airbus ‘Fly By Wire’ (FBW) fleet on the A321/320, a year later converting to the long range, wide-body A330 whilst still flying the A321/320 on short-haul. This took me even further afield, including in recent times, three month detachments to Indonesia, flying pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on the Haj.

Long-haul charter can be hard work – time changes, flights of up to 12 hours and few or no local support staff. The crew then have to improvise and support each other to make the flying programme work. Whilst far from home I have been at times a flight planner, baggage loader, marshaller, diplomat, and issuer of thinly-disguised threats to local officialdom in order to keep our flying programme running. I know of no other airline in modern times where pilots have had such authority to act on our own initiative to make things work: it has occasionally been exhausting, but always immensely satisfying. (On the other hand, long flight times mean overnight stops, frequently several days at a time, enabling me to pursue my love of water sports – so I can’t pretend it was all hard work…)

After 29 years, I am by no means our longest serving pilot or cabin crew member: one of my Gatwick cabin crew friends has just celebrated 34 years with Monarch. This is unusual amongst UK airlines – I think it is the mix of a relatively small company, where we all know each other and have many friends, combined with the adventurous flying we have experienced together, both around Europe and worldwide. In some pretty obscure parts of the world – Yemen, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Burkino Faso (I didn’t know where it was either until I went there) – we have supported each other both professionally and socially, and have become a close-knit family. Why move on when you work like that?

Being a family, we do have our own language – no doubt other airlines do too: Gash bag. Bullet. Klingon. Plonker kit. Airport surprise. Hot bit. When you next fly with us, ask our cabin crew what they mean!

Tastes, and times, have changed though, and charter markets have shrunk to the point where they are hardly viable. Charter has given way to scheduled, short-haul routes, and we now bring our skills, enthusiasm and previous experience to bear in refining our scheduled service, and our punctuality. For us older, longer-serving pilots our world is now a bit smaller, but remains challenging and satisfying – particularly when we all pull together to make everything run smoothly. Throughout my time with Monarch I have found that my pattern of work changes radically every couple of years – it certainly keeps me interested, and this is just another such change. After 40 years as a pilot, the bulk of it with Monarch, and 21,500 flying hours, I still look forward to coming to work.

My next piece will be on the subject of turbulence – what causes it, and how it affects us (and you). I’d welcome any of your questions on the subject – you can share them in the comments below. I know turbulence can cause a lot of nervousness among passengers, so I’m hoping I can demystify it for you and remove some of the fear factor. In the meantime, please return to your seats and fasten your seat belts…!

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/this-is-your-captain-speaking-introducing-pilot-blogger-nigel-webster/feed/19Give us an M!http://blog.monarch.co.uk/give-us-an-m/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/give-us-an-m/#commentsThu, 18 Apr 2013 11:41:18 +0000http://dev-monarch.wp-sites.co.uk/?p=2847To celebrate the start of summer departures from our newest base, a group of Leeds City College & The Aviation Academy students created a giant Monarch spotty M outside Leeds Bradford Airport yesterday. More than 40 students, accompanied by staff from the faculty, were on hand to help mark the occasion. The summer programme of flying includes flights to Majorca, Faro, Larnaca and Lanzarote, with the remaining seven new summer routes to Menorca, Heraklion, Rome, Dalaman, Antalya, Barcelona and Bodrum (22 July – 16 Sept only) starting in May. Managing Director, Kevin George said on behalf of the airline he was delighted to be celebrating the departure of our first scheduled summer flights from Leeds Bradford in conjunction with the arrival of two brand new Airbus A320 aircraft. “Basing the new aircraft at Leeds Bradford demonstrates our commitment to the airline’s expansion in Yorkshire and our 12 new routes allow greater choice to our new customers in the region. We are looking forward to a busy summer at Leeds Bradford,” he said.

]]>To celebrate the start of summer departures from our newest base, a group of Leeds City College & The Aviation Academy students created a giant Monarch spotty M outside Leeds Bradford Airport yesterday.

More than 40 students, accompanied by staff from the faculty, were on hand to help mark the occasion.

The summer programme of flying includes flights to Majorca, Faro, Larnaca and Lanzarote, with the remaining seven new summer routes to Menorca, Heraklion, Rome, Dalaman, Antalya, Barcelona and Bodrum (22 July – 16 Sept only) starting in May.

Managing Director, Kevin George said on behalf of the airline he was delighted to be celebrating the departure of our first scheduled summer flights from Leeds Bradford in conjunction with the arrival of two brand new Airbus A320 aircraft.

“Basing the new aircraft at Leeds Bradford demonstrates our commitment to the airline’s expansion in Yorkshire and our 12 new routes allow greater choice to our new customers in the region. We are looking forward to a busy summer at Leeds Bradford,” he said.

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/give-us-an-m/feed/0Brand new A320 joins Monarch fleethttp://blog.monarch.co.uk/brand-new-a320-joins-monarch-fleet/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/brand-new-a320-joins-monarch-fleet/#commentsFri, 15 Mar 2013 19:35:54 +0000http://dev-monarch.wp-sites.co.uk/?p=2724Exciting news! We’re proud to announce we took delivery of a new addition to the fleet yesterday, an Airbus A320. Monarch is the first UK airline to operate aircraft fitted with Airbus Sharklets. Sharklets are enhancements to the wingtip which help to save fuel, increase performance, lower carbon emissions and improve payload by up to 450kg. The Sharklets cut down on aerodynamic drag by helping to reduce the spiral shaped vortices that are formed at the wingtips of any aircraft during flight. The new aircraft has become a hot topic on on our Facebook page – Click here to join the conversation What do you think of her? Let us know in the comments. Click here for the official Monarch press release

]]>Exciting news! We’re proud to announce we took delivery of a new addition to the fleet yesterday, an Airbus A320. Monarch is the first UK airline to operate aircraft fitted with Airbus Sharklets.
Monarch’s new A320 registration G-ZBAA. The aircraft will be based at Leeds Bradford International Airport

Sharklets are enhancements to the wingtip which help to save fuel, increase performance, lower carbon emissions and improve payload by up to 450kg. The Sharklets cut down on aerodynamic drag by helping to reduce the spiral shaped vortices that are formed at the wingtips of any aircraft during flight.

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/brand-new-a320-joins-monarch-fleet/feed/0Enthusiast events head to Italy!http://blog.monarch.co.uk/enthusiast-events-head-to-italy/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/enthusiast-events-head-to-italy/#commentsFri, 01 Jun 2012 16:35:50 +0000http://dev-monarch.wp-sites.co.uk/?p=1261 After a short break, the Monarch Enthusiast Days are back! Whether you’ve been a regular on our popular events, or have been dying to hear about the next one, the next event is imminent and we’re going international! On Thursday 5th and Friday 6th July, we’re taking the Enthusiast Day concept to Italy. We’ll be offering you the chance to sample the fantastic Monarch service on one of our newest scheduled routes to one of Europe’s most famous airports, Milan Malpensa. In addition to return flights from either Manchester of Gatwick airports to Malpensa, you will enjoy an overnight stay in the Sheraton Airport Hotel, guided tours of the fantastic “Volandia” aviation museum and behind the scenes access to one of Italy’s busiest airports, including the unique opportunity to go to the top of the Air Traffic Control tower! Trips will depart from Manchester and London Gatwick Airports, so take your pick, and we look forward to welcoming you along. The itineraries can be found below: From Manchester: Thursday 5th July 2012 1200 – Assemble at Monarch Airlines’ check-in, Terminal 2, Manchester Airport Collect boarding passes for our flight to Milan Malpensa (MXP) 1410 – Depart on Monarch Airlines scheduled service ZB1398 to Milan Malpensa The flight operates on a Monarch Airlines Airbus A321-200 1720 – Arrive at Milan Malpensa 1800 – Check in to our rooms at the Sheraton Hotel, Malpensa Airport, opposite Terminal 1 The evening is then free for you to enjoy dinner or explore the various photo opportunities around the Malpensa perimeter. A map showing safe spots in the area around Terminal 1 will be provided. Friday 6th July 2012 Enjoy a buffet breakfast in the Sheraton hotel at your leisure 0915 – Assemble in the hotel reception area prior to our first visit of the day 0930 – Guided tours of some of the behind-the-scenes locations in Terminal 1, including: • Baggage Handling System • Airport Control Room • VIP Lounge 1100 – A unique and very special opportunity to visit the Malpensa Air Traffic Control Tower 1300 – After a short walk, there will be a break for lunch in the café at the “Volandia” museum 1430 – An English-speaking tour of Volandia has been arranged, including: • Various exhibits on the history of aeronautics in Italy • The Space Pavilion • Flight Simulators 1730 – A short walk will take us back the Terminal 1 Departures Hall 1800 – Check-in for our return flight to Manchester 2030 – Depart on Monarch Airlines scheduled service ZB1399 to Manchester The flight operates on a Monarch Airlines Airbus A321-200 2135 – Arrive at Manchester Airport, Terminal 2 2145 – Proceed through arrivals and say our goodbyes From Gatwick: Thursday 5th July 2012 1345 – Assemble at Monarch Airlines’ check-in, South Terminal, London Gatwick Airport Collect Boarding Passes for our flight to Milan Malpensa (MXP) 1600 – Depart on Monarch Airlines scheduled service ZB7206 to Milan Malpensa The flight operates on a Monarch Airlines Airbus A320-200 1855 – Arrive at Milan Malpensa 1945 – Check in to our rooms at the Sheraton Hotel, Malpensa Airport, opposite Terminal 1 The evening is then free for you to enjoy dinner or explore the various photo opportunities around the Malpensa perimeter. A map showing safe spots in the area around Terminal 1 will be provided. Friday 6th July 2012 Enjoy a buffet breakfast in the Sheraton hotel at your leisure 0915 – Assemble in the hotel reception area prior to our first visit of the day 0930 – Guided tours of some of the behind-the-scenes locations in Terminal 1, including: • Baggage Handling System • Airport Control Room • VIP Lounge 1100 – A unique and very special opportunity to visit the Malpensa Air Traffic Control Tower 1300 – After a short walk, there will be a break for lunch in the café at the “Volandia” museum 1430 – An English-speaking tour of Volandia has been arranged, including: • Various exhibits on the history of aeronautics in Italy • The Space Pavilion • Flight Simulators 1730 – A short walk will take us back the Terminal 1 Departures Hall 1800 – Check-in for our return flight to London 1955 – Depart on Monarch Airlines scheduled service ZB7207 to London Gatwick The flight operates on a Monarch Airlines Airbus A321-200 2040 – Arrive at London Gatwick Airport, South Terminal 2100 – Proceed through arrivals and say our goodbyes The event will be escorted by Monarch Airlines staff members who will be on hand to answer questions. The Volandia tour will be escorted by museum volunteers, and tours of the Malpensa facilities will be escorted by SEA staff. There will be plenty of walking, so guests are recommended to wear comfortable shoes, and pack lightly. All this for just £149 per person in a single room or £129 per person sharing a twin or double room Places are limited – so book now via Monarch Airlines Reservations: 0843 227 1312 (calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras) Ts & Cs Included in the price: Fares and Taxes for your roundtrip flights to Milan, bed & breakfast accommodation at the Sheraton Hotel – Malpensa Airport, guided tours of the Volandia Museum, escorted “behind-the-scenes” visits at Malpensa Airport and the services of a Monarch Airlines staff member for the duration of the event. Excludes: Credit Card Booking Fees, Seat Reservation Charges (£9.99 each way for extra leg room seats and £5.99 each way for standard seats), in-flight meals (£7.99 each way), and all meals in Milan Flights provided are subject to our terms and conditions – please see www.monarch.co.uk for further information. Accommodation is provided by the Sheraton Hotel Group and is subject to their terms and conditions. Tours may be cancelled without notice to you in the event of a security or operational related issue at the airport. You acknowledge that you will have appropriate travel insurance in place for this trip. Bookings are non-refundable and we do not allow for changes to be made. So what do you think? What are you most looking forward to in this event? Let us know in the comments below.

After a short break, the Monarch Enthusiast Days are back! Whether you’ve been a regular on our popular events, or have been dying to hear about the next one, the next event is imminent and we’re going international!

On Thursday 5th and Friday 6th July, we’re taking the Enthusiast Day concept to Italy. We’ll be offering you the chance to sample the fantastic Monarch service on one of our newest scheduled routes to one of Europe’s most famous airports, Milan Malpensa. In addition to return flights from either Manchester of Gatwick airports to Malpensa, you will enjoy an overnight stay in the Sheraton Airport Hotel, guided tours of the fantastic “Volandia” aviation museum and behind the scenes access to one of Italy’s busiest airports, including the unique opportunity to go to the top of the Air Traffic Control tower!

Trips will depart from Manchester and London Gatwick Airports, so take your pick, and we look forward to welcoming you along. The itineraries can be found below:

1100 – A unique and very special opportunity to visit the Malpensa Air Traffic Control Tower

1300 – After a short walk, there will be a break for lunch in the café at the “Volandia” museum

1430 – An English-speaking tour of Volandia has been arranged, including:
• Various exhibits on the history of aeronautics in Italy
• The Space Pavilion
• Flight Simulators

1730 – A short walk will take us back the Terminal 1 Departures Hall

1800 – Check-in for our return flight to London

1955 – Depart on Monarch Airlines scheduled service ZB7207 to London Gatwick The flight operates on a Monarch Airlines Airbus A321-200

2040 – Arrive at London Gatwick Airport, South Terminal

2100 – Proceed through arrivals and say our goodbyes

The event will be escorted by Monarch Airlines staff members who will be on hand to answer questions. The Volandia tour will be escorted by museum volunteers, and tours of the Malpensa facilities will be escorted by SEA staff. There will be plenty of walking, so guests are recommended to wear comfortable shoes, and pack lightly.

All this for just £149 per person in a single room or £129 per person sharing a twin or double room
Places are limited – so book now via Monarch Airlines Reservations: 0843 227 1312 (calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras)

Ts & Cs

Included in the price: Fares and Taxes for your roundtrip flights to Milan, bed & breakfast accommodation at the Sheraton Hotel – Malpensa Airport, guided tours of the Volandia Museum, escorted “behind-the-scenes” visits at Malpensa Airport and the services of a Monarch Airlines staff member for the duration of the event.

Excludes: Credit Card Booking Fees, Seat Reservation Charges (£9.99 each way for extra leg room seats and £5.99 each way for standard seats), in-flight meals (£7.99 each way), and all meals in Milan

Flights provided are subject to our terms and conditions – please see www.monarch.co.uk for further information. Accommodation is provided by the Sheraton Hotel Group and is subject to their terms and conditions. Tours may be cancelled without notice to you in the event of a security or operational related issue at the airport. You acknowledge that you will have appropriate travel insurance in place for this trip. Bookings are non-refundable and we do not allow for changes to be made.

So what do you think? What are you most looking forward to in this event? Let us know in the comments below.

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/enthusiast-events-head-to-italy/feed/18Monarch-Airbus UK enthusiasts’ day trip on sale now!http://blog.monarch.co.uk/monarch-airbus-uk-enthusiasts-day-trip-on-sale-now/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/monarch-airbus-uk-enthusiasts-day-trip-on-sale-now/#commentsMon, 30 Jan 2012 18:23:27 +0000http://dev-monarch.wp-sites.co.uk/latest-news/monarch-airbus-uk-enthusiasts-day-trip-on-sale-now-2012-01-30You’ve been waiting with bated breath. You’ve commented on our blog, sent us tweets and left posts on our Facebook page… let alone the countless emails you’ve sent us! So it is with great pleasure that we’re finally we’re able to make the announcement you’ve been waiting so excitedly and patiently for. The next Monarch Enthusiasts’ Day will begin in Manchester on Friday 2 March! The new itinerary has been developed in conjunction with Airbus, based on feedback on social media and various aviation forums from avgeeks, plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts all over the world! We hope you’ll join us on this unique day trip. Our Enthusiasts’ Days in October and December sold out within just a few days of going on sale – so don’t miss out this time -places are popular and limited! The day trip on Friday 2 March includes return flights on a Monarch Airlines A320 aircraft from Manchester to Chester, a unique behind-the-scenes tour at Airbus hangars and presentation with Q&A session, followed by a buffet lunch. On return to Manchester Airport we’ll take you on a fascinating guided tour of the Monarch Aircraft Engineering hangar and answer any questions you may have about the aircraft and operations there. The whole event will be escorted by highly enthusiastic Monarch Airlines & Engineering staff members who are all highly knowledgeable about aircraft and the aviation industry in general. The team will be on hand throughout the day to answer questions, while the factory tours will be led by Airbus members of staff. Each enthusiast will visit 2 of the 3 factories at Airbus. Airbus UK (Chester) – Day Trip Itinerary – Friday 2nd March 2012 0600 – Assemble at Monarch Airlines’ check-in, Terminal 2, Manchester Airport 0800 – Board “Enthusiasts Only Flight” MON380 to Chester 0820 – Depart on MON380 to Chester on Monarch Airlines A320-200 0900 – Arrive at Chester and transfer to Airbus Conference Suite 1000 – Airbus presentation, video and Q & A session 1100 – Tour groups set up, separate and visit various Airbus factories, accompanied by Monarch and Airbus staff – North Factory – A350 Wing Plant – East Factory – Long Range / Single Aisle Plant – West Factory – A380 Wing Plant 1215 – Buffet lunch at Airbus Old Canteen / Function Room, courtesy of Airbus 1315 – Tour groups continue tours of Airbus factories 1530 – Depart on “Enthusiasts Only Flight” MON350 to Manchester, on Airbus A320-200 1640 – Escorted tour of the Monarch Aircraft Engineering hangar 1800 – Coach transfer to Manchester Airport Terminal 2 1810 – Arrival back at Terminal 2 & Goodbyes All this for just £129 per person. Places are limited for this unique event – so book now! Included in the price: Fares and taxes for your round trip flights to Chester, buffet lunch organised by Airbus, transfers be tours of the various Airbus factory sites and tours of the Monarch Aircraft Engineering facilities at Manchester Airport. Excludes: Credit Card booking fees (4%), seat reservation charges (£4.99 each way per person) Book now! Monarch Airlines reservations: 0843 227 1312 (Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras)

You’ve been waiting with bated breath. You’ve commented on our blog, sent us tweets and left posts on our Facebook page… let alone the countless emails you’ve sent us! So it is with great pleasure that we’re finally we’re able to make the announcement you’ve been waiting so excitedly and patiently for. The next Monarch Enthusiasts’ Day will begin in Manchester on Friday 2 March!

The new itinerary has been developed in conjunction with Airbus, based on feedback on social media and various aviation forums from avgeeks, plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts all over the world! We hope you’ll join us on this unique day trip.

Our Enthusiasts’ Days in October and December sold out within just a few days of going on sale – so don’t miss out this time -places are popular and limited!

The day trip on Friday 2 March includes return flights on a Monarch Airlines A320 aircraft from Manchester to Chester, a unique behind-the-scenes tour at Airbus hangars and presentation with Q&A session, followed by a buffet lunch. On return to Manchester Airport we’ll take you on a fascinating guided tour of the Monarch Aircraft Engineering hangar and answer any questions you may have about the aircraft and operations there.

The whole event will be escorted by highly enthusiastic Monarch Airlines & Engineering staff members who are all highly knowledgeable about aircraft and the aviation industry in general. The team will be on hand throughout the day to answer questions, while the factory tours will be led by Airbus members of staff. Each enthusiast will visit 2 of the 3 factories at Airbus.

1530 – Depart on “Enthusiasts Only Flight” MON350 to Manchester, on Airbus A320-200

1640 – Escorted tour of the Monarch Aircraft Engineering hangar

1800 – Coach transfer to Manchester Airport Terminal 2

1810 – Arrival back at Terminal 2 & Goodbyes

All this for just £129 per person. Places are limited for this unique event – so book now!

Included in the price: Fares and taxes for your round trip flights to Chester, buffet lunch organised by Airbus, transfers be tours of the various Airbus factory sites and tours of the Monarch Aircraft Engineering facilities at Manchester Airport.

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/monarch-airbus-uk-enthusiasts-day-trip-on-sale-now/feed/8Which new route reigned victorious in Facebook face off?http://blog.monarch.co.uk/which-new-route-reigned-victorious-in-facebook-face-off/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/which-new-route-reigned-victorious-in-facebook-face-off/#commentsMon, 16 Jan 2012 17:38:38 +0000http://dev-monarch.wp-sites.co.uk/?p=679If you’re a friend of ours on Facebook, you may have been one of the thousands of people who entered a competition pitting our exciting new routes against each other in a public vote, to celebrate our expansion into the Mediterranean this summer. Voters were automatically entered into a prize draw to win free flights to the destination that won the vote. As part of the competition we also announced a £10 discount off flights to the destinations that reigned victorious. It was exciting to see over 2,500 new Monarch Airlines Facebook fans voting help flights to Venice topple flights to Milan in a landslide victory of 2,325 votes to 560. A very worthy winner of course, Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Filled with enchanting architecture and breathtaking sights, the city is steeped in history. The unique network of picturesque canals and the extensive range of museums and art galleries including the Guggenheim and the Gallerie dell’Accademia keep lovers of the arts returning year after year. Our ‘Italian Job’ competition also asked Facebook fans to vote between flights to Rome and flights to Verona. Rome emerged the clear winner, with a staggering 79% of users voting for Italy’s capital city. Outside of Italy, Barcelona flights beat flights to Dubrovnik, attracting over two-thirds of the total vote. European destinations also beat out competition from further afield; with Sharm El Sheikh losing out to the Canary Islands favourite Tenerife. The competition ignited the imagination of our online community, resulting in a 66% increase in Facebook likes and 3,614 new fans in total. Welcome to all and thank you to everyone who voted and joined us on Facebook! We’re looking forward to offering you lots of special deals, hearing your feedback about our services and tempting you with more competitions. It may surprise you that there are no fewer than 14 new routes from our four UK bases of London Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham and Manchester – flights which went on sale in November last year. The focus on scheduled services and top new European city and sun destinations will see more cheap flights available to Italy, Croatia and Greece. In addition to the new destinations we are adding two new Airbus 320 aircraft to our fleet. Commenting on the strategy our Managing Director Kevin George said: “Adding Italy to our network will further reinforce our position as the leading leisure-focused airline serving the Mediterranean and the Canaries. The addition of two new aircraft to the fleet is great news, and marks the start of our fleet expansion plans, which will see the fleet grow from 30 to around 40 aircraft in the medium term.” Would you like to be part of the fun on Facebook? Join the action at www.facebook.com/Monarch .

If you’re a friend of ours on Facebook, you may have been one of the thousands of people who entered a competition pitting our exciting new routes against each other in a public vote, to celebrate our expansion into the Mediterranean this summer. Voters were automatically entered into a prize draw to win free flights to the destination that won the vote. As part of the competition we also announced a £10 discount off flights to the destinations that reigned victorious.

It was exciting to see over 2,500 new Monarch Airlines Facebook fans voting help flights to Venice topple flights to Milan in a landslide victory of 2,325 votes to 560. A very worthy winner of course, Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Filled with enchanting architecture and breathtaking sights, the city is steeped in history. The unique network of picturesque canals and the extensive range of museums and art galleries including the Guggenheim and the Gallerie dell’Accademia keep lovers of the arts returning year after year.

Our ‘Italian Job’ competition also asked Facebook fans to vote between flights to Rome and flights to Verona. Rome emerged the clear winner, with a staggering 79% of users voting for Italy’s capital city. Outside of Italy, Barcelona flights beat flights to Dubrovnik, attracting over two-thirds of the total vote. European destinations also beat out competition from further afield; with Sharm El Sheikh losing out to the Canary Islands favourite Tenerife.

The competition ignited the imagination of our online community, resulting in a 66% increase in Facebook likes and 3,614 new fans in total. Welcome to all and thank you to everyone who voted and joined us on Facebook! We’re looking forward to offering you lots of special deals, hearing your feedback about our services and tempting you with more competitions.

It may surprise you that there are no fewer than 14 new routes from our four UK bases of London Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham and Manchester – flights which went on sale in November last year. The focus on scheduled services and top new European city and sun destinations will see more cheap flights available to Italy, Croatia and Greece. In addition to the new destinations we are adding two new Airbus 320 aircraft to our fleet.

Commenting on the strategy our Managing Director Kevin George said: “Adding Italy to our network will further reinforce our position as the leading leisure-focused airline serving the Mediterranean and the Canaries. The addition of two new aircraft to the fleet is great news, and marks the start of our fleet expansion plans, which will see the fleet grow from 30 to around 40 aircraft in the medium term.”

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/which-new-route-reigned-victorious-in-facebook-face-off/feed/0Fire and smoke training… not a typical day at the office!http://blog.monarch.co.uk/fire-and-smoke-training%e2%80%a6-not-a-typical-day-at-the-office/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/fire-and-smoke-training%e2%80%a6-not-a-typical-day-at-the-office/#commentsFri, 09 Dec 2011 13:39:31 +0000http://dev-monarch.wp-sites.co.uk/?p=550At 3pm on a Friday afternoon, the alarm goes off and instinctively you know what to do. Leaving your tea half drunk and your PowerPoint presentation open on the desktop, you grab your bag and coat (even though you’re told not to) and head outside to have your head counted by a colleague in an attractive high vis jacket. Though everyone knows how important it is to treat every office fire drill like a real event and get out quickly, your job doesn’t depend on your performance. On the other hand, if you’re cabin crew, fire and smoke training is a very different experience! Right from the start, crews on initial training courses are put through their paces and must pass all their fire and smoke (FAS) exams to earn their wings to fly. I’m an instructor so I get to experience a lot of FAS days. A recent one started with a 3.30 am alarm call. After tip toeing around as not to wake the household I managed to find and put on my ‘sky suit’ (my make-up and my smile), before heading in to report for duty at 5 am! It’s a tough start to the day, but since a great deal of our impeccable safety record comes down to training (well I would say that because I teach it!) it’s a necessary evil. A fire and smoke day usually starts at the fire station with a presentation, delivered by a Fire Officer. After a thorough recap of theory and protocols, we get down to the nitty gritty of putting out real fires under controlled conditions. A mockup of various aircraft locations i.e. an overhead locker, a seat or a toilet was set alight using real fire under controlled conditions. In real life, we’d be using gas fire extinguishers, but during practice we just use water. It might sound a teeny bit obvious but the trick to using the fire extinguishers is to hold the trigger the right way round otherwise you will fire it in your face… and that’s not nice! At our Luton HQ we have our own cabin training facility where we carry out the crew and pilot practical exercises. The cabin trainer basically mimics the inside of an aircraft cabin and is based on a single aisle aircraft, 6 seats across (three either side) with 9 rows in total. There are the usual windows, blinds and overhead lockers you’d expect, plus a dummy toilet compartment, a galley at each end with trolleys, cupboards full of equipment and also galley electrics to operate the real aircraft ovens. On top of that, the doors are fully functional, with standard aircraft exit and emergency doors. As we operate several different aircraft, the mock up features a variety of doors so we can practice on them, including Boeing 757, A321 and A320 doors. One of the safety requirements is that crews practice opening doors and exits not normally used in everyday circumstances. This gives everybody the opportunity to refresh on the actual size, operation and weight of the exits. In order to satisfy regulatory requirements, cabin crews must complete firefighting scenarios wearing portable breathing equipment such as smoke hoods. Crews demonstrate the fire fighting, communication skills and teamwork protocols that they’ve learned in class. To spice things up, we introduce cosmetic smoke into the cabin trainer to make the conditions confusing and stressful, to see how crew will cope. Those crew not directly involved in the fire fighting are briefed to act as passengers, some of whom panic and generally cause a commotion. That’s when the Oscar winning performances kick in! As we all know, smoke travels, so the instructor running the exercises needs to make sure the smoke exhaust is turned on so smoke doesn’t escape into the surrounding offices. If someone forgets (as happened once in the past) the fire alarms are set off and the whole of the HQ building is evacuated! A bit embarrassing to say the least to have to explain this to fire safety officers when the CEO and Managing Director are stood outside in the pouring rain! (Before you ask I’m not guilty of that one!) It’s fair to say when a fire and smoke day appears on your roster, it’s dreaded, because these days usually prove to be long, tiring and challenging. However, the crews absorb a vast amount of information within a few short weeks and demonstrate key skills to a high standard. They have to be proficient firefighters and paramedics as well as highly trained in customer service by the end of their training and thankfully we come out of it confident in ourselves and in each other, which is so important for teamwork in an emergency. Thanks for reading, Lisa Lisa will be back in a couple of weeks with another interesting story about life as cabin crew. If you’ve got any questions or comments, please let us know!

At 3pm on a Friday afternoon, the alarm goes off and instinctively you know what to do. Leaving your tea half drunk and your PowerPoint presentation open on the desktop, you grab your bag and coat (even though you’re told not to) and head outside to have your head counted by a colleague in an attractive high vis jacket.

Though everyone knows how important it is to treat every office fire drill like a real event and get out quickly, your job doesn’t depend on your performance. On the other hand, if you’re cabin crew, fire and smoke training is a very different experience! Right from the start, crews on initial training courses are put through their paces and must pass all their fire and smoke (FAS) exams to earn their wings to fly.

I’m an instructor so I get to experience a lot of FAS days. A recent one started with a 3.30 am alarm call. After tip toeing around as not to wake the household I managed to find and put on my ‘sky suit’ (my make-up and my smile), before heading in to report for duty at 5 am! It’s a tough start to the day, but since a great deal of our impeccable safety record comes down to training (well I would say that because I teach it!) it’s a necessary evil.

A fire and smoke day usually starts at the fire station with a presentation, delivered by a Fire Officer. After a thorough recap of theory and protocols, we get down to the nitty gritty of putting out real fires under controlled conditions. A mockup of various aircraft locations i.e. an overhead locker, a seat or a toilet was set alight using real fire under controlled conditions. In real life, we’d be using gas fire extinguishers, but during practice we just use water. It might sound a teeny bit obvious but the trick to using the fire extinguishers is to hold the trigger the right way round otherwise you will fire it in your face… and that’s not nice!

At our Luton HQ we have our own cabin training facility where we carry out the crew and pilot practical exercises. The cabin trainer basically mimics the inside of an aircraft cabin and is based on a single aisle aircraft, 6 seats across (three either side) with 9 rows in total. There are the usual windows, blinds and overhead lockers you’d expect, plus a dummy toilet compartment, a galley at each end with trolleys, cupboards full of equipment and also galley electrics to operate the real aircraft ovens.

On top of that, the doors are fully functional, with standard aircraft exit and emergency doors. As we operate several different aircraft, the mock up features a variety of doors so we can practice on them, including Boeing 757, A321 and A320 doors. One of the safety requirements is that crews practice opening doors and exits not normally used in everyday circumstances. This gives everybody the opportunity to refresh on the actual size, operation and weight of the exits.

In order to satisfy regulatory requirements, cabin crews must complete firefighting scenarios wearing portable breathing equipment such as smoke hoods. Crews demonstrate the fire fighting, communication skills and teamwork protocols that they’ve learned in class. To spice things up, we introduce cosmetic smoke into the cabin trainer to make the conditions confusing and stressful, to see how crew will cope. Those crew not directly involved in the fire fighting are briefed to act as passengers, some of whom panic and generally cause a commotion. That’s when the Oscar winning performances kick in!

As we all know, smoke travels, so the instructor running the exercises needs to make sure the smoke exhaust is turned on so smoke doesn’t escape into the surrounding offices. If someone forgets (as happened once in the past) the fire alarms are set off and the whole of the HQ building is evacuated! A bit embarrassing to say the least to have to explain this to fire safety officers when the CEO and Managing Director are stood outside in the pouring rain! (Before you ask I’m not guilty of that one!)

It’s fair to say when a fire and smoke day appears on your roster, it’s dreaded, because these days usually prove to be long, tiring and challenging. However, the crews absorb a vast amount of information within a few short weeks and demonstrate key skills to a high standard. They have to be proficient firefighters and paramedics as well as highly trained in customer service by the end of their training and thankfully we come out of it confident in ourselves and in each other, which is so important for teamwork in an emergency.

Thanks for reading, Lisa

Lisa will be back in a couple of weeks with another interesting story about life as cabin crew. If you’ve got any questions or comments, please let us know!

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/fire-and-smoke-training%e2%80%a6-not-a-typical-day-at-the-office/feed/3Toby hears “the voice of God” on Monarch Enthusiasts’ Dayhttp://blog.monarch.co.uk/toby-hears-%e2%80%9cthe-voice-of-god%e2%80%9d-on-monarch-enthusiasts%e2%80%99-day/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/toby-hears-%e2%80%9cthe-voice-of-god%e2%80%9d-on-monarch-enthusiasts%e2%80%99-day/#commentsFri, 21 Oct 2011 12:20:43 +0000http://dev-monarch.wp-sites.co.uk/?p=313Toby Hillier, a Monarch employee and aviation enthusiast, guides us through last Friday’s inaugural Enthusiasts’ Day. Ten to six on a chilly Luton morning, and as I turned in to Prospect Way, the silhouettes of several aviation enthusiasts could be made out against the backdrop of Monarch Airlines’ main reception. These sixteen hardy travellers, arriving from all over the country, from Plymouth to Newcastle, North Wales to Hemel Hempstead, some having driven through the night, were to be the first to sample a Monarch Enthusiasts’ Day. It was nice to welcome such a diverse group; some were there for the love of aviation, others were budding pilots or cabin crew, one was even there to cure his fear of flying so that he could support his 10-year old son in his ambitions to fly the planes that his dad rode in. At our first stop we were greeted at the door of the Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) by Operations Duty Manager, Buzz MacKinnon, who briefed us on the roles of his team and demonstrated the specialised flight management software that is so essential to Monarch maintaining a smooth operation. We watched the first couple of departures climb away from Birmingham on the Flight Watch screen and went through the specific flight plan for our upcoming departure to Gibraltar, which was fascinating to see. Next stop, Luton Airport, where our Airbus A320, registered G-OZBK sat waiting in the dark ready for our flight to Gibraltar. Once welcomed onboard by the wonderfully helpful cabin crew, the enthusiasts among us were easily identifiable as most had camera lenses trained against the windows. As we approached Gibraltar, Captain Baldwin announced that that heavy cloud and fog was persisting but he would do his best to get the aircraft safely on to Runway 9. As we approached from the east, we couldn’t see the runway at all, and we had a nervous few minutes while we banked around the Rock, hoping that the weather conditions didn’t prevent our arrival. Eventually the fluffy blanket of cloud cleared and thankfully the runway appeared through the mist. A smooth landing, and a sharp stop later and we were on stand. Entering the terminal building we met with Daniel Wahnon, Deputy Station Manager for our handling agent, Gibair. He whisked us off on a whistle-stop tour of the current terminal building in Gibraltar, showing us the VIP lounge, and the behind-the-scenes baggage sort area before allowing us to watch the departure of our inbound aircraft from the apron. With the new terminal building due for completion within a matter of days, it was great to see the original and quaint old building in all its 1950s glory. Next on our busy itinerary was a visit to the air traffic control building, escorted by Sgt. Kev O’Flynn, the Operations Sergeant at RAF Gibraltar. The radar room was surprisingly “Second World War” in style, with banks of very solid looking grey equipment. The guys assured me though that while the hardware rarely needs to change, the software is bang up to date. Representatives from National Air Traffic Service (NATS) were extremely accommodating in explaining the intricacies and quirks of air traffic control (ATC) in Gibraltar with all of the strange circumstances that exist there. Wind speeds are measured at both ends of the runway, and at its mid point, and often with three very different readings; landing directions are often left to the discretion of the pilots flying in there, and is as much based on their experience of the airport as it is on traditional flying practices. Looking over the airfield and the Rock through sparkling new tower windows, we had a great view of the road which bisects the runway. It looks strangely like the starting grid of a Formula 1 race as cars jostle for position ready to speed across the airfield when the barriers lift! Sgt. O’Flynn explained that Gibraltar’s runway is the busiest in the world, a fact which was greeted with some scepticism by our group. When he explained that the handful or aircraft movements are supplemented by 12,000 pedestrians and 10,000 motor vehicles each day, we no longer doubted him! The second tour group enjoyed a run through of the procedures required for stopping traffic in advance of an aircraft arrival. Pedestrians are stopped from crossing the runway when aircraft are 12 miles out, whilst motor vehicles are stopped at the 8 mile marker. We were also given demonstrations of “the Voice of God” and “the Voice of Neptune”, the loud speaker systems that the tower controllers use to keep not only pedestrians in order, but also sailing vessels passing close by the ends of the runway. A “small” cruise ship was cleared for departure shortly before the inbound Monarch flight from Luton arrived, and it simply blocked out the horizon – pilots have to be vary wary of these hazards on their approach, and Gibraltar ATC are in regular communication with the marine authorities to ensure that there are no comings together. Returning to Luton, we continued on to Hangar 127 where we were greeted by Paul Green, Maintenance Controller. After a safety briefing, the group took turns exploring an aircraft interior and the hangar itself. The day was a fantastic team effort, and thanks must go to Buzz MacKinnon and all of those in the IOC on Friday morning, Julie Clark and both of the fantastic crews on ZB068 and ZB063, Gibair, NATS and RAF Gibraltar for their kind assistance and to Paul Green who all contributed to put together a fantastic package for sixteen very appreciative enthusiasts. Thank you all. Would you like to take part in a future Monarch Enthusiasts’ Day? Please let us know in the comments below where you’d like to go and what you’d like to see!

Toby Hillier, a Monarch employee and aviation enthusiast, guides us through last Friday’s inaugural Enthusiasts’ Day.

Ten to six on a chilly Luton morning, and as I turned in to Prospect Way, the silhouettes of several aviation enthusiasts could be made out against the backdrop of Monarch Airlines’ main reception. These sixteen hardy travellers, arriving from all over the country, from Plymouth to Newcastle, North Wales to Hemel Hempstead, some having driven through the night, were to be the first to sample a Monarch Enthusiasts’ Day. It was nice to welcome such a diverse group; some were there for the love of aviation, others were budding pilots or cabin crew, one was even there to cure his fear of flying so that he could support his 10-year old son in his ambitions to fly the planes that his dad rode in.

At our first stop we were greeted at the door of the Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) by Operations Duty Manager, Buzz MacKinnon, who briefed us on the roles of his team and demonstrated the specialised flight management software that is so essential to Monarch maintaining a smooth operation. We watched the first couple of departures climb away from Birmingham on the Flight Watch screen and went through the specific flight plan for our upcoming departure to Gibraltar, which was fascinating to see.

Next stop, Luton Airport, where our Airbus A320, registered G-OZBK sat waiting in the dark ready for our flight to Gibraltar. Once welcomed onboard by the wonderfully helpful cabin crew, the enthusiasts among us were easily identifiable as most had camera lenses trained against the windows. As we approached Gibraltar, Captain Baldwin announced that that heavy cloud and fog was persisting but he would do his best to get the aircraft safely on to Runway 9. As we approached from the east, we couldn’t see the runway at all, and we had a nervous few minutes while we banked around the Rock, hoping that the weather conditions didn’t prevent our arrival. Eventually the fluffy blanket of cloud cleared and thankfully the runway appeared through the mist. A smooth landing, and a sharp stop later and we were on stand.

Entering the terminal building we met with Daniel Wahnon, Deputy Station Manager for our handling agent, Gibair. He whisked us off on a whistle-stop tour of the current terminal building in Gibraltar, showing us the VIP lounge, and the behind-the-scenes baggage sort area before allowing us to watch the departure of our inbound aircraft from the apron. With the new terminal building due for completion within a matter of days, it was great to see the original and quaint old building in all its 1950s glory.

Next on our busy itinerary was a visit to the air traffic control building, escorted by Sgt. Kev O’Flynn, the Operations Sergeant at RAF Gibraltar. The radar room was surprisingly “Second World War” in style, with banks of very solid looking grey equipment. The guys assured me though that while the hardware rarely needs to change, the software is bang up to date.

Representatives from National Air Traffic Service (NATS) were extremely accommodating in explaining the intricacies and quirks of air traffic control (ATC) in Gibraltar with all of the strange circumstances that exist there. Wind speeds are measured at both ends of the runway, and at its mid point, and often with three very different readings; landing directions are often left to the discretion of the pilots flying in there, and is as much based on their experience of the airport as it is on traditional flying practices.

Looking over the airfield and the Rock through sparkling new tower windows, we had a great view of the road which bisects the runway. It looks strangely like the starting grid of a Formula 1 race as cars jostle for position ready to speed across the airfield when the barriers lift! Sgt. O’Flynn explained that Gibraltar’s runway is the busiest in the world, a fact which was greeted with some scepticism by our group. When he explained that the handful or aircraft movements are supplemented by 12,000 pedestrians and 10,000 motor vehicles each day, we no longer doubted him!

The second tour group enjoyed a run through of the procedures required for stopping traffic in advance of an aircraft arrival. Pedestrians are stopped from crossing the runway when aircraft are 12 miles out, whilst motor vehicles are stopped at the 8 mile marker. We were also given demonstrations of “the Voice of God” and “the Voice of Neptune”, the loud speaker systems that the tower controllers use to keep not only pedestrians in order, but also sailing vessels passing close by the ends of the runway. A “small” cruise ship was cleared for departure shortly before the inbound Monarch flight from Luton arrived, and it simply blocked out the horizon – pilots have to be vary wary of these hazards on their approach, and Gibraltar ATC are in regular communication with the marine authorities to ensure that there are no comings together.

Returning to Luton, we continued on to Hangar 127 where we were greeted by Paul Green, Maintenance Controller. After a safety briefing, the group took turns exploring an aircraft interior and the hangar itself.

The day was a fantastic team effort, and thanks must go to Buzz MacKinnon and all of those in the IOC on Friday morning, Julie Clark and both of the fantastic crews on ZB068 and ZB063, Gibair, NATS and RAF Gibraltar for their kind assistance and to Paul Green who all contributed to put together a fantastic package for sixteen very appreciative enthusiasts. Thank you all.

Would you like to take part in a future Monarch Enthusiasts’ Day? Please let us know in the comments below where you’d like to go and what you’d like to see!